We'll help you build defensive handgun skills.

Qualify in one day for a Concealed Carry License in Missouri, Utah, Florida or Maine.

Start learning skills you'll need to STOP a threat, which is NOT like target shooting. Get concealed carry training from a firearms instructor certified since 1989 by the NRA and 1995 by Law Enforcement Training Institute. We're 40 minutes west of St. Louis out Hwy 30 in Franklin County, or 10 minutes east of the Hwy 44 St. Clair exit (map sent when you sign-up). Most classes are 8 to 4. You will be our guest for the day. We like to provide our guests with soft drinks and a good lunch.

Cost

The fee is $125/person, plus an additional $10 for anyone who does not bring a gun and ammo. Visa and Mastercard accepted. This includes lunch, soft drinks, eye and ear protection and defense type handguns, but bring your own guns and ammo too.
New to guns? Make an appointment to come out ahead of time and learn to target shoot before hand so you can take the class with more confidence. ($50 + ammo)
One-on-one training is also available for next level students. See below.

Signing up

Just check out all the classes posted on the left, click on the one you want to attend, fill out the form and sign up. We'll send you an email confirming your seat with a map attached. If the one you want is full, you may ask for standby seating in case we get a cancellation. Need a different day? Ask. THESE ARE NOT THE ONLY CLASSES.

* * * * * * * * * Bring some 9mm if you want to shoot a full auto. * * * * * * * * *

Why train with Us?

There are a lot of reasons, let's look at a couple.

A student just last week told me about comparing notes with his friend who took the class at a local range. He remarked that his friend got very little out of it but the certificate he needed to apply (he already KNEW how to target shoot). Our smaller classes teach you how to deal with a target that is trying to kill you. We go way beyond the state requirements and into tactical awareness, mindset, pistolcraft as a martial art, and how to survive the court system later. If you want good training, come be our guest for the day. From the lunch you are served right down to the quality of the chair you sit on for 8 hours, the experience we offer is a cut above the rest. People come from all over Missouri and Illinois to train here. They are so pleased that some even return and sit through it again.

In most CCW classes, you don't build self-defense skills, you target shoot, which reinforces all the bad habits and bad muscle memory you have from recreational shooting. These won't win a lethal force encounter. The most important skill you need on the street is to acquire the threat in your sights quickly and get two shots off NOW. The way we do handgun training you have 4 targets to choose from and an instructor by your side. There is nothing in front of you to get in the way of coming up on the target from the low ready or retention position, so we can show you the best way to quickly acquire and fire.

We've been firearms instructors for almost 20 years and we don't just teach the basic class the state requires, so we have a depth of knowledge that new instructors who only teach the class required for a permit just don't have. People who already have their permit come here because we can take them beyond the basics. We do more classes than anybody because we post them full at 12. We would rather hold a small class every few days than a couple large ones a month like most others do. You can take the time to be taught shooting drills from the low ready when you qualify here. We're so serious about defensive handgun training that if you have a few people, we'll set up a class for you on almost any day. Sometimes we don't post these. If you would like to host a class we can even come to you! We travel all over Southern Illinois and put on non-resident Utah concealed carry permit classes for groups.

One final thing to consider when interviewing instructors:
Do they re-schedule if only one or two people show up?
We don't cancel it if you're the only one to show, we just give you our full attention and thus even better training.

In The Classroom

NO LIVE AMMO ALLOWED IN CLASSROOM. NO EXCEPTIONS. First we cover safety, nomenclature, and reloading, also cleaning and storage. After we are satisfied that everyone has a firm grasp of safe gun handling, you get your handgun and ammo from your car and shoot. Bring any handgun you want to shoot, ammo and eye and ear protection if you have them. The law requires a student to demonstrate proficiency with both a revolver and a semi-auto. If you have only one (or none) we can supply guns. I like to see people shoot what they intend to carry, but not if it means buying your first gun to take the class. If you're new to handguns, shoot some of ours first so you can make a more informed decision about what to buy.
The course of fire for the basic class is 50 rounds practice shooting both types of gun and a 20 round qualification with the gun of your choice. We will supply enough .22 ammo to get it done. Bring your own center-fire ammo(no reloads). Then we cover use of force and firearms laws, mindset and tactics.

Where should I apply for a Concealed Carry License?

At one time, many of our students got their license to carry from Florida or Utah. They WERE honored in more places (and they'll issue one through the mail). Now, a Missouri concealed weapon permit is accepted in more states. Look at the map on the Missouri Attorney General 's Concealed Carry Reciprocity page.
States that now deny conceal and carry privileges to holders of NON-RESIDENT PERMITS are: CO, FL, MI, KS, NH, SC.

You must apply for a Missouri concealed carry license in the county where you live. Permit fees vary in the St. Louis area. We list some here; St. Louis County$76 City of St. Louis$100 St Charles$100.00 Jefferson$100 Franklin$63.25 Washington$100 Phelps$ Crawford$100 Iron$ St. Genevieve$ Perry$ Montgomery$78.25